The Demon King is unfathomable

Chapter 468 Strategic Shift
The Great Cemetery, Resurrection Square.

Suddenly, the skeletons that had been standing still opened their eyes and began to howl like wolves facing the gloomy, dark square.

"Damn it! What happened?!"

"Who kicks players offline before a boss fight?!"

"At least let me finish watching the CG! What happened after that angel stabbed down with a stick? Did it kill the Demon King too?!"

"Where's the dog planner? Come out and get a beating!"

The Resurrection Square was filled with chatter.

One second they were invincible Chaos Rats, risking their lives for the Demon King, and the next they were "reincarnated" into skeletons.

Who can bear this? !

Unlike the overreacting newbies, [One Leaf Knows Autumn] calmly checked the reward.

The returns are decent.

The contribution points given were just enough for him to break through to the Gold level in "Soul Level" and raise the level cap from LV.70 to LV.90.

No one on the entire server is faster than him!
The Pig-Headed Knight walked over from the side, holding the back of his head, watching the noisy newbies in the square with a look of amusement on his scaly face.

"These newbies are like they're playing this game for the first time."

Where can you find an MMORPG where you start at max level?

If such a good thing really happened, what would the hardcore gamers who diligently work on the progress think?
To be honest, the operations team of "Natural Disaster Online" is quite conscientious. At least their Demon King model is cool enough, and the sense of immersion and participation is very strong.

The Minotaur Warrior glanced at him sideways.

"What you said is as good as saying nothing at all."

The Pig-Headed Knight paused for a moment, then scratched his head sheepishly.

"It seems so."

Suddenly, Wan: "..."

……

"Long live the Kingdom of Ryan!"

"Long live Campbell!"

"Long live Princess Eileen!!"

The dark clouds finally dissipated from the sky, and cheers, following the long-awaited sunlight, resounded throughout the streets and alleys of the twilight city.

Hearing the thunderous shouts of "Long live the Emperor!", those who didn't know the situation might have thought that Edward Campbell was the real king ruling this territory.

Amidst the celebratory drums, the army of the Duchy of Campbell marched through a ravaged battlefield and entered the battered provincial capital of Twilight City through its southern gate.

Upon learning that their heroes had arrived, the survivors flocked to the streets, cheering and whistling as they welcomed the young men into town.

Even more excited people rushed up to shake hands with them, and some even hugged them.

Saint Sis above—

Praise be to the brave Campbells!
After defeating the demon king of hell, these brave young men once again triumphed over the terrible chaos for their king!

The Campbell family's prestige in this land was higher than ever before, and they wished they could invite the Grand Duke to be their king.

Unfortunately, the laws of our ancestors cannot be changed.

All they could do was cheer and whistle to express their overflowing gratitude.

Looking at the cheering crowd, Eileen, riding on her horse, smiled and waved, conveying her brother's greetings to these survivors.

However, when she noticed those pale and emaciated faces, her cheerful mood was tinged with a faint sadness.

In the vast city of Twilight, there wasn't a single fat person to be seen.

Whether men or women, old or young, they were all so hungry they were skin and bones, as if they might faint at any moment.

She simply couldn't imagine the suffering these poor people had endured before her army arrived.

Fortunately—

It's all finally over.

At this moment, both Eileen and the citizens of Twilight City were temporarily immersed in the joy of victory, completely unaware that a much larger storm was silently brewing in the western border of Twilight Province...

……

The Governor's Mansion of Twilight City is one of the few buildings in the city whose structure is still relatively intact.

The servants were bustling about, setting out beer and roast meat on a long table covered with a white cloth, preparing for the arrival of the victors.

In the previous battles, the defenders of Twilight City dismantled almost everything of value and pushed it onto the city walls in order to cope with the Green Forest Army's continuous siege and the endless swarms of rats.

This includes the roof beams of residential houses.

Stones used to build fireplaces, etc.

Fortunately, they left the governor's mansion intact; otherwise, they probably would have had to entertain Princess Eileen at the church.

While most people believed that it was the "saint" of the Salvation Army who summoned the angels to bring down divine punishment, Governor Baron Ellarrick was more inclined to believe that it was the determination of the soldiers and civilians in the city to advance and retreat together and resist to the end that moved the gods in heaven.

Of course, this does not contradict his gratitude to the Principality of Campbell, after all, no miracle, however incredible, can replace human power.

Without the selfless rescue efforts of the Campbellians, even the arrival of countless angels would likely have been futile in preventing the city's fall and the loss of its inhabitants...

At the same time that the army of the Duchy of Campbell arrived at the governor's mansion, Baron Ellaric also returned to the governor's mansion from the city walls.

They hadn't even had time to change out of their blood-stained armor.

When he saw Princess Eileen enter the hall surrounded by knights, he immediately quickened his pace to greet her, placing his right hand on his chest in a gesture of respect.

"Your Highness Eileen Campbell, I am Eralic Valerius, a baron appointed by His Majesty the King, and the governor of Twilight City! Please allow me, on behalf of His Majesty and the million surviving residents of Twilight City, to express our sincerest gratitude to you—your bravery and mercy will be forever etched in the history of Twilight City!"

His voice was hoarse and high-pitched, and trembled slightly with excitement.

Although his actions were somewhat exaggerated, anyone could sense that his gratitude was sincere and genuine.

In response to Ellarick's thanks, Eileen responded with impeccable aristocratic manners, and then replied humbly.

“You flatter me, Your Excellency. Resisting the invasion of Chaos is the inescapable responsibility of every human leader. We were merely fulfilling our sacred oath. As for my bravery, it is far less worthy of mention than those who shed their blood in this battle. Please leave your gratitude to the knights behind me and to our allies from the High Mountain Kingdom.”

Although anyone could tell it was just a polite, humble remark, the dwarf brothers in the Wanren Mountains really liked it.

Quittin Copper Furnace couldn't help but curl his lips upward, looking just like a smug monkey.

"Your humility is as impressive as your bravery. The Campbell people are truly envious of having such a noble knight as you."

Baron Ellarrick bowed and thanked him again, then his gaze fell on Eileen's silver hair, which was as white as moonlight.

His gaze paused slightly, and he spoke hesitantly.

"Your hair..."

He had heard that the Campbell family princess had beautiful blonde hair, which had now turned a regrettable silver.

Although he didn't know what had happened, he could guess a little by thinking about the legend of "Utawarerumono".

Facing the surprised or regretful gazes around her, Eileen did not hide anything, and casually tucked a strand of silver hair behind her ear.

She was indeed very sad at first, after all, everyone loves beauty.

However, when she discovered that Prince Colin didn't mind and even praised her hair, her unease and sadness vanished.

She only cared about that man's opinion.

This was true before, and it's even more true now.

“Your Excellency, please allow me to explain on behalf of Princess Eileen,” Theresa, standing behind Eileen, stepped forward and explained, “In order to fight against Kalan, who sold his soul to Chaos, our princess had to use the Light of Echoes in her hands to prematurely exhaust the miracles that Saint Sith had bestowed upon the Campbell family… You can understand it as a compensation paid for calling for miracles.”

A murmur rippled through the crowd, and the distinguished guests standing in the corner of the hall wore expressions of surprise.

A very small number of people showed shame on their faces.

While they lost their territory and fled in panic, some people burned their lives to pick up the responsibilities they had abandoned.

How noble this is!
Of course, only a minority felt ashamed; the vast majority of nobles scoffed at it, or even felt genuine disgust.

Count Solder Weaver, who shared a deep friendship with Eileen Campbell, had already perished in the siege of the Green Forest Army.

Humans are not sheep after all.

This fire destroyed not only the dry grass in the pasture, but also the heroic spirit of this land.

When loyal and courageous souls are all gone, what remains will be a group of rats who are cunning to the extreme and have no sense of awe.

Once the heroism of the entire kingdom was exhausted, the fate of the Devalo dynasty came to an end.

This will surely be painful for Theodore's descendants, but those who have escaped unscathed should not be too happy.

Because next to appear will be Urgos's chosen one—

In fact, if Silas hadn't kicked a hornet's nest, drawing in higher-level forces one after another, he would have actually succeeded.

In other universes, he has also had his moments of triumph.

Upon hearing about Eileen's situation, Baron Eralic's face showed a hint of regret. He sighed deeply, his tone heavy with sorrow.

"So that's how it is... Please forgive my rudeness. I never imagined that you would pay such a heavy price for us."

He knew very well what silver hair meant to an unmarried noblewoman; it was almost equivalent to her sacrificing her happiness.

“You don’t need to be sad for me, Your Excellency,” Eileen said with a gentle smile, looking at the Baron who was clearly overthinking things. “A hundred years from now, we will all turn to dust. It is my honor to have used this short life to become a firefly that illuminates other souls… I think those who love me will be proud of me, not sad.”

When she was halfway through her sentence, Eileen's cheeks flushed slightly.

There was nothing wrong with what she said; she truly believed it from the bottom of her heart, and she had always lived up to her vow—to use her power without reservation to protect the people of the Duchy of Campbell.

Unfortunately, she was unexpectedly awakened from her slumber after the previous battle and transformed into an immortal vampire.

Even now, she still doesn't understand what happened and can only tentatively believe the story Prince Colin gave her—

Perhaps in Saint Sis's view, her mission was not yet over.

Rather than revealing her identity and causing trouble for herself and those around her, Eileen could only maintain this beautiful misunderstanding.

Unaware of her vampire identity, everyone was completely captivated by her shining ideals. Even the local nobles who looked down on her wore complex expressions.

The Duchy of Campbell's military intervention can be understood as being for land, but her sacrifice was clearly not for worldly land or money.

A priest closed his eyes, made the sign of the cross, and offered a devout prayer for the noble knight lady.

Saint Sis above—

Please allow this princess to linger a little longer in this world; do not so hastily take her away from your devout servants…

A faint sadness settled over the atmosphere in the Governor's Mansion hall.

In fact, Eileen did not want this to happen, especially since she knew very well that she would not die, and she really did not want people to have their joy of victory overshadowed by unnecessary guilt.

Just as she was about to say something to break the somber atmosphere, a bulky and comical figure beat her to it.

The man was not a court jester, but a proper nobleman dressed in magnificent clothes, yet at this moment he looked more like a clown than a jester.

"Princess Irene! Princess Irene!"

Theron Gad screamed as she pushed through the crowd, stumbled, and fell to her knees with a thud at Eileen's feet.

Eileen was startled and saw a greasy, fat hand reaching for her skirt armor. She quickly took a step to the side.

Theresa's hand was already on the sword, but seeing that the other party was a nobleman and of high status, she widened her eyes and pressed down on the sword that was already drawn an inch from the ground.

Theron Gad didn't care about any of that.

The fear of the past few days had already broken his spirit. He was seen weeping and wailing, like an abandoned baby by the roadside.

"You've finally arrived! Your Highness! You must do me justice!"

"Wait a minute, tell me who you are first—"

“Theron Gard! Earl of Sparrowwood Territory! Five hundred years ago, we had a marriage alliance with the Campbell family—”

"Shut up!" Theresa shouted angrily before Eileen could even speak.

Theron was so frightened that he shrank back and dared not mention the matter again. He immediately got to the point and began to lament the brutality of the rebels.

"The Salvation Army! That so-called 'Salvation Army'! They claim to be servants of Saint Cecilia, but they're just a bunch of opportunistic bandits! They stole my castle and seized my territory! For Saint Cecilia's sake, Your Highness Eileen, you must avenge me!"

Count Theron cried and sobbed, completely disregarding his dignity as a nobleman, leaving everyone present astonished.

The priest at the Twilight City Cathedral, in particular, stared at Count Theron as if he were a ghost... This guy wasn't like this when he was confessing before the statue!

Baron Eralic's face turned a deep purplish-red, wishing he could disappear into the ground. In front of the Campbellians, this fat pig had utterly disgraced the entire nobility of the Kingdom of Ryan!

Did he think that pleading would earn him the respect of his neighbors?

They will only become more unscrupulous when demanding benefits, because they will feel that the nobles of the Kingdom of Ryan are not worthy of them at all!
However, Theron's title of Earl is somewhat higher than that of a Baron.

Aside from cursing inwardly, Ellarick could only look away in shame, pretending he hadn't seen anything.

No one understood why Theron would do this, thinking he must be crazy, but little did they know that he was actually very clear-headed, even more so than anyone else there.

The court is on its way!
Others might not know what that angel meant, but he was a discerning person and realized in an instant that it was the ritual magic of the Holy City!

The king could not "legally" abolish the titles of nobles, but the Papacy's tribunal could.

He had to convince Eileen to reclaim Sparrowwood Territory for him before the group arrived, burying all the mistakes in the dust.

Otherwise, if the court found out that he had handed over his territory to a group of cultists, the entire Sparrowwood Territory would be wiped out, and his family would be completely finished! The entire hall fell into a deathly silence, and everyone's eyes were focused on Eileen. The scene was extremely awkward.

The Salvation Army is currently stationed outside the city.

Although the Campbells might not know those guys, they were comrades who had fought side by side, and the request this guy made was really a bit thoughtless.

What if they're involved in some kind of collusion behind the scenes?

Even if we assume that the Duchy of Campbell is not, it is still a vassal state of His Majesty the King, and it is impossible for them to clean up the mess for a mere earl.

Looking at the earl who had no regard for his image, Eileen was both amused and exasperated, since she did indeed have some dealings with that so-called saintess.

That was His Highness Colin's suggestion.

If her identity were accidentally exposed, Karen could use her status as a saintess and the "oracle" to protect her, at least preventing the Campbell family from being disgraced.

Eileen gave the knights beside her a look, signaling them to help the man up.

"Anyway, please... stand up and speak first."

……

In contrast to the lavish banquets inside the Governor's Mansion, the Salvation Army camp outside the city was solemn and quiet.

The army of tens of thousands did not enter the city, but instead set up camp on a plain a few miles away.

Rows of neat tents stood like squares on a chessboard, and the patrolling soldiers moved with steady steps. Brennan's booming voice could be heard over the training ground... the guy seemed to be throwing a tantrum.

They did not enter Twilight City.

The reason is not complicated.

On the one hand, the city's residents still harbored some prejudice against this diverse army, and not everyone believed in "Saint Karen" and her oracle.

On the other hand, their identities were indeed too sensitive, and forcibly entering the city would only make things difficult for their allies.

The core members of this army were mostly former rebels who had once gathered in the mountains.

And their proud base, Sparrowwood Territory, legally still belongs to Count Theron Gard, who is currently throwing a tantrum in the governor's mansion.

They are the victors, but also a group of "illegal occupants" without any identity.

Not to mention the complicated feelings the city's citizens had towards them, even the people themselves were hesitant about their own identities.

The war is over.

The famine seems to be coming to an end.

If the fighting continues, it seems the only opponents left will be the king and the empire behind him...

Seeing Leiden sitting alone at the camp gate drinking, Gaunt walked over and sat down next to him, taking the jug Leiden offered and filling his own glass.

This taste is truly irresistible.

Gunter smacked his lips and praised sincerely.

"This wine is really good."

Leiden grinned.

"The fine wine of Thunder City is said to come from a winery in Silverpine Forest. To be honest, I only got to drink it after I joined the Salvation Army. My lord probably hasn't even tasted anything this good."

After downing the glass of red wine in one gulp, Gunter refilled his glass and casually remarked.

"I heard that the Governor's Mansion is holding a victory celebration banquet. You are a knight of the Kingdom of Ryan, won't you go and take a look?"

A meaningful expression appeared on Leiden's face.

“Great idea. Maybe I’ll run into Theron Gard there. I bet his expression will be priceless.”

Gunter took a sip of red wine and grinned as he spoke.

"I think he would be very happy to repair your relationship."

Leiden shrugged.

"On the contrary, he probably wishes I were dead right now, so that I could take his untold dirty secrets to my grave."

Gunter fell silent.

After a long while, he finally spoke.

"what's next?"

Leiden glanced at him and raised an eyebrow.

"Next?"

Gangte nodded and asked seriously.

"I'd like to know what you plan to do next."

He wanted to help his former comrades-in-arms and give them a good ending, but first he needed to know where they were headed next.

Leiden shifted his gaze from him to the forest outside the barracks, his resolute eyes momentarily lost in thought.

"Honestly, I don't know either."

Perhaps the oracle will tell them.

……

It wasn't just Leiden who felt lost about the future; many others, especially the Salvation Army's top brass, were also confused.

Not everyone is as single-minded as Brennan.

They wouldn't be so naive as to believe that "Saint Karen" actually met Saint Sith and received some divine revelation from him.

Under the circumstances at the time, whether it was true or false was not important. Even the Sword Saint could turn a blind eye, let alone them.
However, the situation is different now.

With angels truly descending upon the sky, many things that would never normally be weighed will likely have to be put on the scales this time...

Luo Yan walked slowly on the earthen slope at the edge of the camp, his hands behind his back, gazing at the outline of the distant Twilight City.

Dressed in simple white, Karen followed behind him, her gentle eyes filled with trust and devotion, like a nun awaiting divine guidance.

It doesn't really matter if you don't have it.

Even better.

She originally had no worldly ambitions.

If Brennan's eyes still held a desire for power and land, and Leighton a yearning for honor and chivalry, then she simply wanted to please Mr. Colin.

Rather than responding to the expectations of her believers, she was simply trying to please her own deity...

"Danger is approaching."

The sudden divine oracle interrupted Karen's thoughts.

She thought for a moment and asked hesitantly.

"Is it a rat-man?"

"That's my opponent, and it has nothing to do with you for now."

Luo Yan gently shook his head, his gaze shifting from Twilight City to the distant west, as if looking through the clouds burned red by the twilight.

After a moment, he spoke.

"As for you, this threat does not come from Chaos, but from the Holy City."

Most people believed that the angel who descended from the sky and killed the Chaos clone in one blow was a miracle sent by the "Son of God" and a manifestation of the power of the god that the saint served.

But Luo Yan wouldn't fool himself.

That pure and vast holy light energy, devoid of any personal will, could only originate from one place—

That is the holy city of the empire!

Gregory IX detected the arrival of the Chaos Avatar through some special channel and pressed the "nuclear button" in his hand!
Clearly, the Vatican's sights have been set on the chaotic land of Twilight Province.

Based on Luo Yan's understanding of the empire's history, a Grand Judge riding a griffin is probably already on his way.

Once this chief judge arrives, all secular armies within the empire will, in theory, obey his orders.

Going head-on with that kind of guy is a sure way to die.

As for why?
That is, of course, also because of the lessons of history.

On this very land beneath his feet, a certain time-traveling predecessor had already tested it for him once, showing him what it means to be one step ahead of the version and be a genius, or two steps ahead and be in a coffin.

Don't be fooled by the fact that Rock Sword Saint Gaunt is now firmly on the side of the Salvation Army; that's because the Salvation Army is still flying the banner of Saint Sith.

Once they turn their swords against the church, these jubilant "traitors" will soon see what true "popular support" really means, and who truly represents the "thoughts of the people."

Karen understood the deeper meaning in Colin's words and pondered for a moment before speaking.

"You mean... the Vatican will interfere with us?"

Luo Yan smiled faintly.

"To be precise, they have already arrived."

An ordinary person would probably be terrified.

However, the ignorant and arrogant "Saint Karen" was not afraid at all, and simply blinked at her god.

"So what do you think we should do?"

Luo Yan pondered for a moment before speaking.

"Given the Tribunal's history of methods in the Empire, I cannot be optimistic that they will go easy on you. You have to prepare for the worst."

“So we have no choice but to keep fighting, right?” Karen smiled gently and nodded. “No problem. If you wish, I am willing to fight against the Holy See for you.”

Luo Yan glanced at Karen in surprise.

He was still thinking about how to subtly persuade this simple village girl that the church does not represent the truth, the pope is not the same as Saint Sis, and that it is not the New Testament or anyone else that has distorted the Word of God, but those priests who disregard believers.

However, in retrospect, this intelligent girl may have known all along that she was not some divine being, and that from the very beginning, she only trusted herself.

This saved him a lot of time.

Sensing the surprise on Mr. Colin's face, Karen blinked gently, a playful blush creeping onto her serene and gentle face.

"I think I surprised you. May I be a little smug?"

“Of course… I can,” Luo Yan smiled, looking at her with appreciation. “You have a high level of comprehension. It seems I can teach you some advanced skills.”

“That would be my honor.” Karen nodded slightly and responded softly, preparing to listen to the divine message.

Looking at the "saintess" he had nurtured, Luo Yan pondered for a moment before speaking.

"The larger the organization, the more complex its internal forces are; this is true for duchies, kingdoms, and empires alike."

"To survive in the cracks, you must grasp the core pain points of different forces, discover their interests and the constraints between them, and then unite all forces that can be united to make them work for you."

"At the same time, strategically, you also need to learn to move the organization from the sunlight to the underground."

"Could you... be more specific?" Karen looked confused, clearly unable to fully process what she had just said.

Luo Yan was not surprised by her reaction; it just showed that she was thinking about it, but hadn't thought of it yet due to her limited perspective.

He gave her an example, and she quickly understood.

"For example, Theron Gard, whom I asked you to release back then. I can guess without even looking that he's clinging to Eileen's leg right now, crying and begging the Duchy of Campbell to send troops to reclaim the territory you've occupied for him... before the court arrives here."

"But to be honest, that idiot is daydreaming. Even if Eileen is a brilliant strategist and can take back his territory in a minute, he can't possibly clean up the mess in the remaining days."

really.

Just as he expected, the quick-witted Karen grasped the crux of the matter in an instant, her bright eyes gleaming with cunning.

“But we can do what Eileen can’t: take back his territory in one minute, and then clean it all up in the next minute… Am I right?”

"clever."

Luo Yan gave Karen an approving look, as if she were looking at a cunning little fox, and then continued.

"The church in the castle is still there, and the priests and nuns are still alive. Compared to the rest of this land, you are the epitome of piety."

“Those who used to turn a blind eye to you were under pressure to obey you before, but now they are all your ‘accomplices.’ As long as you are not caught by the court, everyone will help you, because it is also for their own benefit.”

"As for Count Theron Gard, he is your mascot. If you want to step back from the forefront, you must bring the legal lord to the forefront. For every step the court takes forward, you must retreat. They will eventually leave, and you will become ghosts that swords cannot kill."

Upon hearing this, Karen fully understood the Divine Child's meaning, and a knowing smile appeared on her face.

Now, the only thing she's unsure about is this last one.

What if Theron Gad doesn't cooperate?

"He's a smart man, he'll cooperate."

Luo Yan smiled slightly.

“If he’s not smart, then get a smarter ‘Gard’.”

The earliest aid to the Salvation Army from the Great Necropolis did not come from the "Grenade Riders" and "Organ Cannons," but from intelligence personnel trained by Sarah.

That thing wasn't meant to be used against the Green Forest Army.

He had long anticipated this day, but he hadn't expected it to come so soon.

(End of this chapter)